


terra forma

by mxkay



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series
Genre: Body Horror, Horror, Non-Linear Narrative, forma, hel!summoner makes her cameo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:41:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23500267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mxkay/pseuds/mxkay
Summary: (One day, you know, you will open the forma soul and your own face will look back at you. But that day has yet to come.Or; Kate grapples with the bioethics of forma units.)
Kudos: 16





	terra forma

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [imāgō](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23306602) by [4wholecats](https://archiveofourown.org/users/4wholecats/pseuds/4wholecats). 



> WARNINGS FOR: body horror, conversations about what does/does not constitute a human being, references to death, nonlinear format
> 
> i read the twitter thread about forma essentially being 'meat computers powered by dark magic', "imāgō", and figured kiran would be one of the very few people NOT freaked out by the forma. especially if it was their idea.

It was your idea to keep the forma around. They’re perfectly good soldiers. ideal, even: strong, uncomplaining, unquestioning. And gods know you have enough dark mages in Askr to make a decent copy of a soul.

(The forma cannot exist outside the Hall of Forms, not in the state they're created in. You'd learned that the hard way when one of them had stepped through the doorway and promptly dissolved into... well, blood sludge is the only term you can think of. You'd avoided several foods in the dining hall for a week.)

“Are you sure this is a... _good_ idea?” Alfonse holds the small blue object in his hands. It glows, faintly.

“I never said it was a good idea,” you reply. “And if it goes wrong, I’ll take full responsibility.”

(Some of the mages had voiced their concern, but they hadn’t opposed you. Terms like ‘cult of personality’ flash through your mind. You ignore them.)

* * *

Some of the forma look identical to their counterparts, except for the dull blue glow of their eyes.

Some of them noticeably differ. (Too many eyes, or not enough. Too many limbs, or not enough.)

Some of them are not human anymore. Or maybe they never were.

(You think of stories from your world. Eldritch creatures approximating a human form, but there is a rotting bird’s wing where a left arm should be. Horns that twist in on themselves until they take the place of eyes. Long, long arms that somehow manage to hold a recover staff.)

* * *

“Oh, I saw an old Hollywood movie about this,” Eleonora whispers. She ducks behind your shoulder when the forma of Sigurd turns in your direction. “ _Invasion of the Body Snatchers_. Is that where you got the idea?”

“...I guess you could describe it like that.” You shake your head decisively. “The forma weren’t created to replace any of the heroes, though. They’re people in their own right.”

(You’re not sure who you’re trying to reassure.)

* * *

You once again learn the hard way what happens when a forma leaves the Hall of Forms, this time with their implanted soul. When the horrific cracking noise of bone stops, you open your eyes to see the forma of Tiki looking decidedly... _monstrous_. 

Henry cackles upon seeing your expression of mixed disgust and horror. "Nya ha! Come on, Kate, it doesn't look that bad. Not as bad as the Risen, anyway!"

* * *

"What if one of the heroes... takes _issue_ with their forma?"

"Then I'll deal with it. They usually come to me anyway when they have problems."

You turn away from the shelf of forma souls. Alfonse is watching the forma of Olwen as it- she? -wanders around the hall. Occasionally, she stops dead in her tracks, one hand opening and closing as if to cast a spell.

"She's fine," you say when Alfonse looks at you. "She's just vibing."

"I envy your nonchalance, Summoner."

"We've both seen worse."

(The generals of the dead march through your mind. Your own face grins at you, a horrible smile superimposed over glowing teeth.)

* * *

“I don’t really know how to explain it.” You take a sip of your tea. “There isn’t an analogue for computers here, or any of the other worlds. Except for the Mirages, I guess.”

The forma are too flesh and blood to be computers or androids. Probably. Maybe cyborgs would be a better descriptor? Except those don’t exist here either. Shit.

“In Elibe, there are- or were -beings of a similar nature to these forma.” Canas’s statement interrupts your train of thought. “They were created from quintessence- life force,” he adds, when he notices your confusion. “Perhaps their composition is the reason they left few traces behind when they were killed.”

“Huh. Interesting.”

“I wonder,” Canas muses, “what makes these forma so...”

“Meaty?” you ask.

He winces. “‘Biological’ may be a better term, Summoner, but you’re right.”

“We have einherjar, back in Ylisse,” Morgan pipes up. “They’re spirits of famous heroes!”

Canas speaks before you do. "Spirits?"

“Uh-huh. They’re almost like the real person. Kind of like your forma, Kate.”

(You take another sip of tea so she doesn’t see you grimace.)

“They’re a little more... refined,” Robin adds. “I don’t mean to disparage your work, Kate! You... well...”

“I did the best with what I had?” You shrug. “You know you can say whatever, Robin. I won’t get mad.”

“Of course.”

There’s a long silence.

“If I may,” Canas asks, “how did you acquire the ability to create these einherjar, Tactician?”

“Oh, I didn’t create them.” Robin forms a rectangle with his hands. “They came in cards. I suppose an imprint of the person’s soul was stored in a card somehow, and whoever possessed the card could summon them.”

“Better than the hell of colorless summoning,” you mutter. Morgan snickers.

* * *

(One day, you know, you will open the forma soul and your own face will look back at you. But that day has yet to come.)

**Author's Note:**

> i listened to raydrik's theme from thracia 776 on repeat while writing this. thematically appropriate, considering what happens to him.


End file.
